Gate City, Appalachia, Wise County receive community development block grants

GATE CITY — Eight localities in Virginia have been awarded more than $3.5 million in Community Development Block Grants from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

These CDBG grants, which were announced Tuesday, provide funds for housing rehabilitation, downtown revitalization, workforce development, homeownership, business development programs and water and sewer projects.

Wise County, Appalachia and Gate City are among the eight localities receiving grants, along with Tazewell County, the city of Staunton and the towns of Pearisburg, Rich Creek and Vinton.

Gate City will receive $522,200 for its Park Street housing rehabilitation project. The funds will be used to rehabilitate seven homes, reconstruct two homes and demolish two vacant residential structures on Park Street, according to a press release.

A management team of key stakeholders, including town residents, town officials and representatives from the LENOWISCO Planning Authority, developed the project, which is designed to “improve the living conditions and remove blighted influences on Park Street,” the release states. Public hearings, surveys and physical needs assessments were conducted as a part of that process.

Wise County was the sole recipient of the CDBG Construction Ready Water and Sewer Fund Award for its Wells-Adams sewer extension project, totaling $255,000. This fund assists projects that provide public water or sewer service to communities made up of at least 60 percent low-to-moderate-income households.

Also in Wise County, the town of Appalachia received $823,571 for Phase 1 of its Old Bottom housing rehabilitation project.

“I am thankful that DHCD found these projects to be significant and worthy of grant funding,” said Del. Terry Kilgore in a press release. “This money will be used to improve housing and provide public water and sewer service in several of our localities where the funds may have otherwise been difficult to obtain. Since the CDBG program was started in 1982, many of our localities have benefited and will continue to benefit from these funds.”

Gate City has also been awarded $40,000 to complete a town-wide housing assessment. Once completed, this assessment will help prioritize housing needs throughout the town and help leaders develop an action plan to address target areas.

For more information about the Gate City project, contact Town Manager Greg Jones at (276) 386-3831 or [email protected]